MARSHALL, Texas – Playing the come-from-behind game once again, the East Texas Baptist University women's basketball team rallied from six points down in the third quarter to pull off their third straight victory of the year, 64-61, over McMurry University. ETBU is 3-0 overall winning two straight at home this week. ETBU also forced 29 turnovers in the win as their defense played a large part in the comeback win.
 
ETBU had a strong performance from Kim Childress, who led all scorers with a career-high 25 points while grabbing a team-leading six rebounds. Sydney Saxton added 11 points and dished out four assists, which was second to five assists by Madison McCoy. Defensively, Baylie Lindsey stole the ball four times. For McM, Skyler Reyna had 19 points to lead the War Hawks while Sham Hunter grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out five assists.
 
Collectively, ETBU was outshot (44.9%-43.4%) from field goal range, from the three-point range (41.2%-33.3 %,) and from the free throw line (71.4%-51.9%), ETBU did score 34 points in the paint to the 22 scored by the War Hawks.
 
Like their previous game, ETBU started with a run scoring six straight points on a three by Lindsey (9:48) and a three-point play by Childress (8:24). Yet, they would soon be scoreless for the next five minutes while McM cut the deficit to 6-5 with a 5-0 run of their own. Though Erin Meeks (3:09) and Childress (2:32) would tack on to the lead with layups, McM managed to answer with a layup by Monica Jones (0:41) and a three by Sarah Doherty (0:14) gave the War Hawks a 12-10 lead after one quarter.
 
Down two to start the second quarter, ETBU roared back with seven straight points on a three by Karley McHenry (8:36) and back-to-back layups by Childress making it 17-13. McM would manage to sneak into the lead with a 10-4 run from the 5:39 mark to 2:41 left into the second. The two teams would exchange points on an ETBU layup by Saxton (2:28) and a McM layup by Reyna (2:10). Childress would give ETBU a 26-25 halftime lead with four straight points in the final minute.
 
The third quarter started with a 7-0 McM run that took nearly three minutes to complete. Down 32-26, ETBU answered with a 12-2 run courtesy of free throws by Saxton (6:46), and Mallory Stephens (6:00), plus a jumper by Lindsey at 5:29. Saxton then added a three-point play to tie the game at 34 with 4:10 left in the third. Then it was Dree Roberson (3:23) who gave ETBU the lead followed by another Lindsey basket (3:02) for a four-point lead, 38-34. ETBU would move their lead to seven points, 43-36, with 1:53 left on another Childress three-pointer. McM came to within four with 19 seconds left but two Saxton free throws ended the quarter giving ETBu a six-point lead, 46-40.
 
ETBU continued their third quarter momentum in the fourth by racing out to their largest lead of the game at 52-43 thanks to Childress's six points in three minutes. Two Breann Ford free throws for McM at 6:41 was answered by a McCoy jumper (6:12) to make it a nine point lead again, 54-45. ETBU was never able to reach double-digits in their lead as each time they came close McM would answer with a score. Down 58-49 with 3:53 left, McM made a stunning 10-1 run ending with a three by Reyna to tie the game with 2:01 left at 59. Saxton answered with a layup at 1:43 only to commit a foul twenty seconds later and see Reyna tie the game with two free throws at 61. But Saxton once again delivered as she would sink the game-winning free throws with 1:14 left to go making it 63-61. McM then committed an offensive foul that gave ETBU the ball with 15 seconds left. McCoy was fouled and would make one free throw putting ETBU up, 64-61. McM's game-tying three was off in the final seconds as ETBU hung on for the win.
 
The Tigers are back again this coming Thursday as they host Concordia-Texas at 5:30 p.m. in Ornelas Gym.